Aialik Bay and Kenai Fjords Alaska kayak trip

 June 10^th-16^th

Road trip to Seward and to plan our kayaking trip.  With information both from Kate and Jillian who had been in the area previously made this kayak trip sound amazing, one of those once in a life time adventures

our self guided route

Greg, Theresa and I arrived late on Friday afternoon, went and chatted to the folks at Millers Landing and had our safety self rescue session booked for one hour.  Nervous about the process and the brrrr cold Alaskan water we were about to be immersed in.  Jake showed us what to do on land, then it was time for the water. Its hard to describe the feeling of being upside down in the water locked in the kayak and the rush of the cold water.  Its only a split second then you are up, staying calm and composed fitting the float to the paddle then using it as a lever to get safely back in.  Its not easy work, but a vital skill and further incentive to not fall in the water while we are away.

We had one extra day to pack everything and go for a hike to a pretty point and skim some stones.  All the staff were excited for us stating how beautiful the area was.  On the Sunday we were up at 4:15am to be ready for the water taxi that took us out to our starting point at tooth cove.  It’s a two hour ride beautiful itself as we had view of porpoises traveling in our wake, Wales, seals and lots of rough water!

porpoise in our wake

Drop off point meant we were on our own. Only I had been on an overnight kayak trip before but both of the others had lots of white water experience, so between us we would be fine!  We allowed ours selves plenty of time 4 days 3 nights to really soak up the place and not push distances too much.  The pretty coves we paddled into included Coleman Bay where we literally had a humpback whale pop up less than 100m behind us as we paddled silently deep in the cove. Amazing!  The seals are so curious of us, they pop up watch you then disappear only to find they are actually following as you paddle along.  Our first night was at Abra Cove, which overlooks the Aialik glacier and we had the place to ourselves.  The loud thunderous boom combined with the rushing waterfall meant it was an natural sound boom.  We had a fire that night and started off the daily dessert feast of smores.  We couldn’t see the ice calving into the water from here but we could certainly hear it all night, a unique sound, combined thunderous with a loud roar of power, a special place to sleep that’s for sure.

Me kayaking under a waterfall for fun

Puffin

waking up to this view wow

Seal chilling out on the iceberg

 Day two and we set off to explore Aialik glacier. The month of June is always the hardest month of the year for me and the 13th of June is always a really hard day for me, remembering my Dad and reflecting on times gone by, its hard to believe its been 7 years since his passing.  I think he would be proud of the person I am and that I'm out having adventures and really living life.

There was so much more ice in the water than the previous day, and as the double kayak was more stable, Theresa and Greg went first and I in the single behind them. We were literally carving our path through the ice, avoiding the big bergs as we’d been warned they can roll over unexpectedly.  We paddled right up to a seal sitting happily on a big chunk of ice and watched him slide effortlessly into the ocean, magic.  We beached as close as we could be safe to the glacier and then spent the next few hours listening and watching the ice carve into the ocean.  One of those rare moments.  This was our first of 3 tidewater glaciers, the others had a lot to live up to.

 

On our paddle to Pederson point our camp for the night, we noticed a guided kayak group all stopped off to the side.  Just as we were getting close to them, this massive orca whale jumped up out of the water, breached and flipped onto its back. WOW! Stunned none of us got our cameras ready in time, it breached again.  Twice how lucky were we, but no photographic evidence as it all happened so fast. It wasn’t traveling alone, off to the side was a humpback whale as well.  Everyone was so happy to have been shared a unique experience of these magnificent mammals.

aerial view of Pederson lagoon into glacier from poster

Pederson point, is literally a little island for camping on with a bear box, lots of trees but as it was drizzling it made for a soggy night.  Getting to the campsite was a bit of a mission as we arrived at low tide so had to ride the waves into the rocky beach (how do you steer a kayak in the waves a skill I haven’t learned as I came in scarily sideways hitting a rock).  Then we had to carry both kayaks a long way up the beach to account for high tide later.  Behind it in the distance is the Pederson Glacier, which is only reached at high tide as you snake your way along this shallow lagoon.  We had been told there was  lots of recent black bear activity here so were all on our guard, and as much as Theresa wanted to see a black bear close up, no luck we didn’t have any bother us at all.

We set off an hour before high tide the next day, the first part was a strong current that steered us into the lagoon, then we had to paddle against the tide before we reached the ice.  Wow what a contrast from yesterday.  This glacier isn’t as steep and dramatic as the Aialik glacier but special in its own way.  Here we were paddling around big icebergs trying to pick a way closer to the glacier.  Of course we couldn’t get all the way so beached and then ate lunch.  Again having the place to ourselves extra special.  The seals kept popping up curious as always.  We spent a couple of hours in here then had to leave to get our before the it got too shallow to leave.  The paddle to the last campsite was longer than we imagined, just around the corner, proved to be a very long curve! The sea otters just ‘chilling out’ as we paddled past had us smiling while Theresa and I began to sing songs to keep us energized. YMCA ha ha! We weren’t going to have this campsite to ourselves there was a guided group of two out there at Holgate arm, but we didn’t mind.

Theresa is German and about 3 weeks into a year long around the world trip. She had been rationing her food all week so being the final night we could eat almost everything left ha ha!! All the wood was too wet for a fire so we had to toast our marshmallows on the stove flame so we could finish with smores again.  I think this is one of those trips where I’ll have put on weight instead of losing it!  Theresa taught us the German card game she was traveling with, a fun night entailed as we attempted to plant beans and harvest them, they even have a bean called the ‘throw up bean’.  Again our campsite was in view of the final glacier the Holgate glacier.  Not quite as loud and active as Aialik glacier but you could still hear and see the calving of the ice into the ocean.       

smores!

card games with a view

German bean harvesting game!

Then it rained, it rained heavily all night and didn’t stop in the morning.  Without a tarp set up it took us a while to get motivation to leave the tents, but we had until 4pm to be back to get ready for pickup, so after a wet breakfast we paddled to Holgate Glacier and discovered surprise glacier as its hidden until you are right close to Holgate glacier.  It was hard paddling as I know I had a strained bicep muscle and Theresa was in pain with an overuse wrist injury and we were yet again against the current.  There were quite a few waves created by tour boats that were also coming to check out the glacier, so much so it made Theresa feel sea sick, so her and Greg went in and beached near the glacier and I stayed out watching and paddling amongst the ice.  We kind of became a tourist attraction ourselves as the people on the tour boats took pictures of us out paddling.

Thanks so much to Greg and Theresa for making this a fabulous trip, as though the scenery and adventure was amazing its never as special unless you can share it with people you care about :-)

So whats next for me? Well we all have to keep a little adventure hidden so you'll just have to stay tuned as I take another step forward into the great unknown. Thanks everyone for your support and I love hearing from friends around the world, makes me feel less far away from you all :-)

"Though we travel the world in search of happiness we must carry it within us or we find it not"

3rd-10th June



I've been chatting to a now good friend, Sarah on the internet after I put up a post hoping to meet outdoorsy Alaskans, before I left Vancouver.  Well she was about to quit her job and I guess I also helped her motivation for it. So two outdoorsy girls exploring Alaska together :-)

Her Dads a surgeon in Iowa most of the year and a commercial fisherman in the summer. So her, I and 7 of her friends took a ferry from Homer out to Seldovia and then used her dads boats for the weekend to go fishing on and party. It doesn't get dark here in Alaska until after 11pm, such a strange feeling.

I grew up every weekend going fishing with dad before I got to the age where I rebelled and felt that as a 'girl' i should have the choice to do 'girly' things, not always fish and camp.  SO fishing has normally been something I haven't really enjoyed doing, for a number of reasons but it was a really fun weekend with a great mix of Alaskan's some born here others just moved to live somewhere outdoorsy and wild.

I started off the trip badly, having not known the superstition about banans and boats, my favourite fruit I bought 3 bananas with me for the weekend, when Sarah discovered them I thought she was going to throw me overboard, luckily it wasn't me but the bananas had to go!!

We saw wales, seals, otters and of course caught loads of Hallibut, Probably 50-60 but you can only keep 2 each as part of permit regulations so most got thrown back into sea.  I didn't get sea sick which I was so happy about as I love being on the ocean but always worried as I've been quite sick in the past.

Of course the nights were filled with guitar playing and singing, drinks and lots of fun laughter and chatter and eating freshly cooked Hallibut yum yum. I think this winter I'll finally buy a guitar and teach myself or have a few lessons, as I love live music so much, its soothing to my soul and its hard to travel with a piano, where guitars always seems to surface on camping trips.

Sarah is a very confident, outgoing girl who was determined to teach me to skip rocks. I explained many friends all super patient had tried in the past and I'd worked out it was just something I probably wouldn't ever do.  BUT after a great day out fishing and with the moon reflecting off the water, we went to try anyways.  There is something so peaceful about being by the ocean with no noise just the gentle waves lapping on the shore, the pretty reflections of the moonlight and dark shadows.  After a few extra technique tips and lots of practise I started to skip once then started to get more, and jumping up and down I managed 3-4. YAY!!! NEVER GIVE UP!!!! Life is short, fantastic and moments like these remind us that its the simple things that make you smile and appreciate every moment we have.

 

who is that in the crows nest?

skipping stones by the moonlight

Our next trip was to be a backcountry hiking one.  We had lots of advice from everyone on board the boats but as its still early in the season most of the high peaks and passes would be too snowy or involve lots of postholeing. Sarah had met this eccentric guy from the internet who goes hiking from mondays to fridays for rocks and fossils and sells them at the weekend markets, normally its just him and his rocks so as you can imagine he was a tad unusual. Still he was harmless, kinda funny character who had us searching for rocks and fossils with him.  The trail as he called it wasn't my kind of hiking, as it mostly involved muddy churned up ATV trails, though we were the only ones out there hiking, for a reason do you think?  We had to make one icy creek crossing but apart from that, avoiding the massive mud piles was the only other tough part. The views were pretty, big mountains of the other ranges and tundra rolling hills of the horn mountains we were visiting. Its always nice to get a heavy pack on your back and head out back country.  As we marched our way out my heals decided to rub in my new boots so I'm now fashioning some very raw and painful blisters on both feet!

Sarah's place, a eccentric old bunker she lives in the back section

Our views of the beautiful Alaskan mountains

Sarah and I hiking through the tundra finally off the ATV trails

 We got back into Anchorage a day early as the hiking wasn't as adventurous as we had both hoped, but this allowed us to go see a local folk band playing in town which was great. Its been ages since I've been to see some live music.  I was so lucky to have met Sarah and have some adventures together, and if things work out there will be more in the future.

As most of you know, I'm an outdoorsy girl torn between my pure love of the mountains (roughness, raw beauty both big and small, always in command of those willing to try to take them on) and the ocean, (from the raw power of the ocean to the calm and peaceful energy it creates both being by it and on it).  Growing up by the ocean and beaches, I didn't really have mountains to play in, so I then found myself with my time in Tasmania, enjoying hiking, climbing, camping but never completly losing the water baby in me. The UK was more time mostly in the mountains hiking biking scene. Now here in Alaska and Vancouver, I feel very lucky, I have the ocean to play in and the mountains both on my doorstep.  Perhaps its time I went back to my roots and spent more time by the ocean and have some more sea adventures and learn techniques.

I'm now heading off with Greg and his couchsurfing friend Theresa to go on a 4 day 3 night self guided kayaking trip into Kenai Fjords, Aialik Bay off from Seward.  Stay tuned for the expected adventure report.

Remembering "though we travel the world in search of happiness we must carry it within us or we find it not"..........

Denali in all her beauty

27^th May - 2nd June

I drove us to Denali National park, I had been scared about driving on the right hand side of the road after the lack of confidence I’d had driving our van in Europe, but I loved it.  Finally my confidence for driving has returned and the independence and freedom that comes with being able to get yourself around has really turned a page for me.  Getting a 4wd when I have the cash is on the cards for me now.

  

We were so lucky, the whole drive there she was, dominating the skyline and absolutely stunning, Denali or Mt Mckinley standing 20,320 feet, 6194 meters she is North America’s highest peak and takes 2-3 weeks to climb, guided costs over $6000!  Apparently you only have a 30% chance of actually seeing the peak let alone her from top to bottom so what a start to our adventure.  Arriving late in the evening doesn’t matter around here as its light now until after 11pm!!!!

 Another fine weather day and we headed in on one of the shuttle buses, public car access isn’t allowed everyone has to either go on a tour or a shuttle bus.  As it’s the early season they haven’t fully opened the roads yet so we were only able to get to the 53 mile mark.   We were so lucky to see up close moose and calves, caribou, grizzly bears and her cubs, dall sheep, eagles all in the wild but close enough to remind you that this is their home!!!  

  It took 3.5 hours to get to the end of the line so I was ready to get off and stretch my legs. I had already sussed out there were 2 younger guys on board, so when we got off I asked if they were planning to go hiking and could I join them, sure I was told.  There are no trails out here, basically you just hike where you want, go up which ever peaks you can get up and enjoy exploring what is truly a wild place.  It turns out neither of the guys were very experienced hikers, so they kept asking me which route I thought we should take to get to the top, in the end we decided a curve around then straight up approach reassessing as we went along. Our first hurdle however was crossing the glacial fed river, fast flowing and deep we made it across part of it with shoes off but clearly weren’t going to get any further across, without the very real risk of being swept away.

 We changed our minds and went for a different peak on the same side as the river. It was a steep ascent but firstly on grass tundra then to scrambling on loose rock. I’ve since been told the rock around here isn’t at all reliable and is very loose so choosing footing and handholds always important.  With a timeline for getting back to catch the last bus back out of the hike, we went fairly quickly but made it giving clear views of all the mountains around quite a few higher than us. A fun day out meeting 2 university students away on a short break, hiking in the wilderness, happy days :-)

The national park provides a free demonstration on the sled dogs, the Alaskan Huskies. They are used by the national park all through winter to break trail and keep an eye out for all the cross country skier's and mountaineers out in winter. They are such beautiful strong dogs, who were also happy to give you cuddles. I've fallen in love with them :-)

There are so many peaks here, some requiring glacial travel and real mountaineering and loads you can just tackle with a confident mind and scrambling ability. The hardest thing for me is going it alone, as there are grizzlies out here as well as black bears, moose and loads of wildlife that scare me hiking on my own. Still what can you do when you’re essentially on your own for the adventure stuff, just go for it!

Mt Heale was one I felt I could confidently do on my own, it proved even easier than I first thought, only one of very few with a trail to the lookout then you just follow the ridge up and down a few false summits and there you are, on your own enjoying the serenity and beauty of sitting on top of a mountain in Alaska.  Sure there are much higher and harder peaks but for me it was a really enjoyable time out.

 

Before we knew it, it was time to get mum back to Anchorage for her flight home. We made a quick detour to Talketna and ate lunch at the roadhouse where most of the climbers sleep and eat before flying up to Mt McKinley, well the glacier to start their climb.  I gathered a bit more information with the aspirations of returning here over the next couple of years.

Saying see you later to Mum was super hard as always, when she’s not around you just seem to get on with life but when you have her for a little bit then she goes again that’s always the worst bit.  She has been here for me in so many ways over the years and recently with all my ups and downs I’ve been so lucky even from afar to be able to call and talk when ever I’ve needed her.

I’m staying with some couchsurfers here in Anchorage for a couple of days planning out my next adventures.  I went running with their big beautiful dog Casio a labradoodle yesterday and today borrowed a mountain bike off them and hit the trails.  I cycled round trip 25 miles 40km’s along a costal trail full of ups and downs and onto a bit of single track.  As I was cycling along, I suddenly came to a corner with an animal standing there, first thoughts were a horse then I remembered I wasn’t in the New Forrest in England anymore, it was infact a MOOSE!  With it less than 5m away from me and following all the previous advice I’ve read, I slowly started to back away as it stopped eating and starred at me. After a safe distance I jumped back on the bike and peddled fast….. I stopped at a nearby carpark and then noticed a family of 4 riding down where I’d been, asked them if they had seen the moose and they said they didn’t see it in time and as he broke the moose ran off. So either I’m just a scardy cat or their bigger groups size helped them.  Despite this I decided I could then continue and gladly I did, but without any photos to prove my close encounter boooo!!!

This weekend I’m going fishing and hiking with a girl and her friends I met on meetup so I’m excited to be seeing another island, Seldovia, in Alaska and meeting new people.......